Thomas Nelsen
Thomas Carl Nelsen passed away September 6, 2020 at the age of 82. He was born April 20, 1938 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Alfred and Edna (Klessig) Nelsen. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Edward, who also had Alzheimer’s. He is survived by sisters Evelyn La Fountain and Alice Kieren, his wife, Alice, and 3 children: Lorna (Ervin) Fackler, Brian (Gina) Nelsen and Kirsten (John) Brawley. He is also survived by grandchildren: Richard and Brandon Brawley, Michael Chaney, Cole, Anthony and Michael Nelsen, Emily, Karen, Caitlin and Blake (Caitlyn) Fackler and 3 great grandchildren.
Tom graduated from Carroll College with a bachelor’s degree in Geography. It started his lifelong interest in rocks and minerals. In 1962 he moved to St. Charles, Missouri to begin his career as a Cartographer at Defense Mapping Agency.
He met his wife of 57 years, Alice (Umble) Nelsen while they were in college. They married June 29, 1963
Tom owned Weldon Spring Rock Shop and very much enjoyed his time as a member of St. Louis Mineral and Gem Society, and collecting and polishing gems and minerals and showing them at Mineral and Craft shows. He was also a member of “Have Rocks Will Travel’ and enjoyed going to schools to talk about rocks until Alzheimer’s disease took away his ability to say the words he needed.
Tom was active in the Village of Weldon Spring Heights for 47 years. He served as Scout Master of troop 353. He was also on the advisory committee for the Radioactive Waste Remediation in Weldon Spring. Tom enjoyed traveling and camping with family and friends.
If you desire to make a memorial, please send it to the Alzheimer’s Organization.
What a beautiful tribute. I will make a donation to the Alzheimers Assocation. I know what a difficult time this is for you and wish you good sleep. Be good to yourself. Grieving takes lots of energy. After George died I slept up to 11 hours per night. I know he will be missed by all.
Alice and Family,
Words Can Not. Begin To Describe MY Sorrow In,Tom’s Passing. The Two Of You Were A Vital Part Of The St. Louis Mineral and Gem Society and Losing You Left A Huge Void. I Remember How Kind and Generous You and Tom,Were When I Came By To Make Purchases.
PLEASE KNOW THAT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ARE WRAPPED IN DENA and MY LOVING COMFORTING EMBRACE.
OUR DEEPEST HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES.
I know that this is a difficult time for your family. I wish you grace and strength through your present trial. I worked with Tom quite a while at DMA. He was great to work with an enjoyable to be around. Yes, I remember the enjoyment he had rock hunting.
I know that this is a difficult time for your family. I wish you grace and strength through your present trial. I worked with Tom quite a while at DMA. He was great to work with an enjoyable to be around. And yes, I remember the enjoyment he had rock hunting.
Tom and I carpooled to and from work for many years. He was a great car-mate and will never forgot his highly entertaining stories. I have high esteem for Tom and he his passing will be a great loss to all who knew him. My deepest sympathy to his family. God’s grace will guide you through this trying times.
I remember Tom (or, as we called him, “T.C.”, well. He loved to talk about his rocks and minerals with anyone who would listen.
I remember a very selfless side of Tom with respect to one of his good buddies and kindred rockhounds, Glenn Williams. They often traveled together to exhibitions and shows. When Glenn became unable to handle all the necessary details, due, if I remember correctly, to Alzheimers, T.C. took Glenn to and from shows and exhibitions and generally looked after him. T.C. didn’t have to do that. He chose to, and that is the act of a true friend. Rest in peace, T.C.
TC and I worked for the same agency. TC knew almost everything about rocks and gems, and I used to make rings and other items from gemstones and silver.
He never tired of answering my many questions about stones and fossils. TC always had a smile and a kind word, we will all miss him, I know I will.